constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 3 November 1986 and the Amended Compact entered into force May 2004
parliamentary democracy
Independence date
12 March 1968 (from UK)
Religions
Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 47%, other 3%
Hindu 48%, Roman Catholic 23.6%, Muslim 16.6%, other Christian 8.6%, other 2.5%, unspecified 0.3%, none 0.4% (2000 census)
Languages
English (official and common language), Chuukese, Kosrean, Pohnpeian, Yapese, Ulithian, Woleaian, Nukuoro, Kapingamarangi
Creole 80.5%, Bhojpuri 12.1%, French 3.4%, English (official; spoken by less than 1% of the population), other 3.7%, unspecified 0.3% (2000 census)
Exports
clothing and textiles, sugar, cut flowers, molasses, fish
External Debt
$5,768,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
Mauritian rupees (MUR) per US dollar - 27.973 (2008 est.), 31.798 (2007), 31.656 (2006), 29.496 (2005), 27.499 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
0.100%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
0
1
Location
Oceania, island group in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Indonesia
Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar
Area
702 km sq
2,040 km sq
Coastline
6,112 km
177 km
Climate
tropical; heavy year-round rainfall, especially in the eastern islands; located on southern edge of the typhoon belt with occasionally severe damage
tropical, modified by southeast trade winds; warm, dry winter (May to November); hot, wet, humid summer (November to May)
